Labour: Disabled community entitled to spend money their own way

Priyanca Radhakrishnan. Image: NZ Labour Party.

The Labour spokesperson for Disability Issues is calling on the Government to “front up and explain” its sudden revision of support funding.

The Ministry of Disabled People announced on Monday that the changes would come into effect immediately.

Labour’s Priyanca Radhakrishnan told Chris Lynch Media that the funding “is a lifeline for disabled New Zealanders and their whānau and carers across the country”.

“Our disabled communities are entitled to have choice and flexibility over the supports they receive – it’s what underpins the Enabling Good Lives approach my Government made record investment in,” Radhakrishnan said.

“This Government is now reversing this progress, removing this flexibility and taking away choice from our disabled people.

“Penny Simmonds needs to front up and explain why this stark change was announced and implemented on the same day via a Facebook post and why there was seemingly no consultation with the community,” Radhakrishnan said.

In a statement, The Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds said, “I understand that there is urgent work being undertaken and communicated to prioritise spending because some of the support budgets, such as the equipment and modification budget, are forecast to be overspent this year.”

“This change is reverting back to the pre-Covid levels of flexibility. These changes are happening from 18 March and are intended to be temporary changes until later this year and Whaikaha will be working with the community on sustainable funding options for the future,” Simmonds said.

“Whaikaha is working with providers to manage a forecast overspend on some of the supports for disabled people. This is not a response to the need to find savings,” the minister said.

The revelation came unexpectedly on Monday, leaving affected communities in a state of shock, especially given the absence of any prior consultation.

In a statement on its official website, the Ministry of Disabled People offered an explanation for its actions, saying, "We are making changes to our purchasing rules to clarify how people can use their disability support funding."

The ministry said, “Purchasing Rules describe what disability support funding can be used to buy, when using individualized funding, enhanced individualized funding, Choice in Community Living, Personal Budgets, or Carer Support.

“These changes do not affect the amount of funding you are allocated.”

A carer told Chris Lynch Media, “This is a huge backwards step for our disabled community and their families.”

“There was no warning or consultation with us, the clients of the funding,” they said.

In a response that sought to address the growing unrest, the ministry posted an unnamed statement on Facebook saying, “We are sorry that we were not able to give our community more notice of these changes, we have had to make these decisions quickly as part of our role as financial stewards. We remain committed to the Enabling Good Lives principles, and our partnership approach.”

A Ministry spokesperson offered a short response to Chris Lynch Media saying, “In brief, it is not a reduction in funding, it is a change.”